浅い
浅い · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 浅い | 浅くない |
| Polite | 浅いです | 浅くないですalso 浅くありません |
| Past polite | 浅かったです | 浅くなかったですalso 浅くありませんでした |
| Past | 浅かった | 浅くなかった |
| Te-form | 浅くて | 浅くなくて |
| Adverbial | 浅く | |
| Conditional | 浅ければ | 浅くなければ |
| Tara conditional | 浅かったら | 浅くなかったら |
Meanings
Describes physical shallowness (water, container, hole) or figurative superficiality (understanding, relationship, thought). Antonym: 深い.
Antonyms: 深い
This river is shallow, so we can wade across.
His knowledge is superficial.
slight; light; pale; inadequate
Used with specific nouns to indicate a low degree: 浅い傷 (slight wound), 浅い眠り (light sleep), 色が浅い (pale color), 知識が浅い (inadequate knowledge). Often overlaps with sense 1 but highlights a lack of depth or intensity.
It's just a slight wound, so it'll heal quickly.
I was in a light sleep and woke up right away.
Describes a short duration or early stage: 時間が浅い (short time), 春がまだ浅い (early spring), 年が浅い (young in years/experience). Often used in set phrases.
It's still early spring, so only a few flowers are blooming.
He still has little experience.
Usage patterns
- 傷が浅いthe wound is slight/superficial
Fortunately the wound was slight, and it didn't turn into anything serious.
- 眠りが浅いto have light/shallow sleep
Lately my sleep has been light, and I often wake up in the middle of the night.
- 息が浅いto have shallow breathing
Many people's breathing becomes shallow when they get nervous.
- 付き合いが浅いto not know someone well yet; a relationship that isn't deep
We haven't known each other long, so I don't know him very well yet.
- 春がまだ浅いspring has only just begun
Spring has only just begun, and it's still cold in the mornings and evenings.
- 知識が浅いto have shallow/superficial knowledge
My knowledge of this field is still shallow.